Engine-starter.



F. S. BACON.

ENGINE STARTER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1912'.

Patented Mar. 7,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I INVENTOR. I

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THE COLUMBIA FLAIjDGlzAm-x COL WASHINGTON, D- C.

F. S: BACON.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1912.

1,174,467. Y Patnqed r-7,1916,

2 SHEETSHEET 2.

W] T NESSES:

INVENTOR.

- I ARNEY.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH (10-, WASHINGTON, D. c.

FREDERIC S. BACON, 0F MIDDLET'OWN, CONNECTICUT.

ENGINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

Application filed June 20, 1912. Serial No. 704,792.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Fsnonmo S. BACON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Middletown, in the. county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Engine-Starter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of devices used for cranking an explosion engine, and an object of the invention, among others, is to provide a device of this class in which there shall be little or no shock incident to the stopping of the rotation of the drum under the influence of its spring, and in which the force incident to the stopping of the rotation of the drum may be stored and used for other purposes in the operation of the starter.

One form of device embodying the invention and in the construction and use of which the object hereinbefore set out, as well as others, may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in'which+ Figure 1 is a side view of a device embodying my invention with parts cut away to show construction. Fig. 2 is a view in section through the device on plane denoted by dotted line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating the construction of the pawl connecting the drum with the engine shaft. Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a manner of controlling the operation of the starter. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the means for actuating the clutch.

The mechanism shown and described herein is of the same general type as that shown in my copending' application filed January 5th, 1911, of Serial Number 600,901, the invention forming the subject matter of this case being an improvement upon that shown in the other and copending application.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 5 denotes the shaft of the starter which may be mounted in any suitable manner for connection -with the shaft of the engine and preferablv'on the frame, (as that of a motor vehicle), that supports the engine. This shaft has a bearing in a sleeve 8 that supports a drum 6, a main spring 7 having one end secured to the drum and the o osite end secured to said sleeve. The sleeve 8 forms an extension from a base plate 9, and is preferably integral therewith. This base plate may be secured in any suitable manner to the frame, (as that of a vehicle), upon which the engine is mounted, and a supporting plate 10 is secured to and spaced a suitable distance from the base plate as by means of posts 11 properly located to avoid gears and other operating parts. A setting train of gears connects the drum 6 with different parts of the mechanism, to be hereinafter described,

for the purpose of placing them in proper positions and at the right times to properly carry out their functions. This setting train includes a drum gear 12 secured to the drum 6 and meshing with an intermediate gear 13 secured to a spindle mounted in the base plate 9 andhaving an intermediate pinion secured to its opposite end, this pinion 14 meshing with a second intermediate gear 15 secured to a second intermediate pinion 16 mounted upon a stud 17 supported by the base plats 9. The pinion 16 meshes with a setting gear 18 free to rotate upon a projection 19 from the base plate 9. This set ting gear carries a stud 20 positioned on its face to engage the edge-21 of a retarding lever 22 pivotally mounted between the base and supporting plates. One end of this retarding lever is in engagement with a clutch actuating rod 23 mounted to slide in lugs 31, 32 projecting from the base and it bears a clutch actuating spring 24: adapted to be compressed as the rod is moved in one direction by the lever 22 in its operation to oppose the movement of the stud 20.

The spring 24 is located between the lug 31 and a flange 25 projecting from the clutch actuating rod, that also has a cam 26 adapted to operate upon a cam pin27 projecting from'a shifting bar 28 mounted to slide in openings in a plate 29 and in a lug 69 projecting from the'base, the plate 29 being supported by a rod 30 and projecting from the base. The pin 27 projects into guide-slots 33 in the lug 32. The shifting bar has a groove 34 into which the forked end of a clutch lever 35 projects, this lever being pivotally mounted between ears 36 projecting from the plate 10. This lever is connectedin any suitable manner with a clutch member 37 for the purpose of actuating the latter, and a clutch actuat1ng=spring 38 is located upon the shifting bar 28, pressing with one end against the plate 29 and with its opposite secured to end against a flange 39 on the shifting bar, this flange forming one wall of the groove 34. A holding pin 40, spring actuated in one direction by a spring 41, is mounted to slide in the lugs 31 and 69 and to engage a recess in the shifting bar 28 to hold the latter in one position and with the clutch members disengaged. The flange 25 on the clutch actuating rod is located to strike a shoulder 42 on the holding pin 40 to disengage it from the shifting bar 28. The clutch actuating rod 23 has a recess 43 for engagement of a clutch actuating rod holding bar 44: slidably supported in the lug 31 and in a lug 45 projecting from the base plate 9. The holding b51344 is operated to engage the recess 43 as by means of a spring 46. The holding bar 44 is disengaged from the clutch actuating rod as by means of a, disengaging lever 47 pivotally mounted on the base. This lever includes a finger l8 pivotally supported on the main part of the lever and projecting in position to be engaged by a stopping stud is projecting from the opposite face of the setting gear 18 from that on which the stud 20 is located. In the form of construction herein shown the lever 47 and the holding bar 44: are pivotally connected, it being understood that this connection is loose enough to permit movement of the lever on its pivot without binding the connection between the leveran'd the holding bar, as shown herein the pin being located in a slot, (see dotted lines in Fig. 2). A springinay be employed to hold the finger 48 in one position, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The main spring 7 is wound or placed under tension by a winding train of gears composed of a pinion 50 secured to the clutch member 37 and meshing with a gear 51 secured as by means of a. shaft 52 to rotate a pinion 53. The shaft 52 is suitably mounted in the plates 9 and 10. The pinion 53 meshes with a gear 54: connected as by means of a shaft mounted in the plate 9 with a pinion 55, the latter meshing with the drum gear 12. The clutch member 37 is arranged to engage a clutch member 56 secured to the shaft 5. The full line arrows show the direction of rotation of the gears and pinions when the drum is rotated to crank the engine, and the dotted line arrows show the direction of rotation of the several gears and pinions when the parts are operating to wind the main spring in the drum 6.

The parts are held against movement under tension of the main spring 7 as by a detent 57 having a tooth positioned to engage the teeth of the gear 51 and a holding tooth 58 to engage a retaining bar 5? slidably mounted in a lug 60 on the plate 10. The detent 57 is pivotally mounted upon a movable frame 61 pivotally mounted upon the plate 10 and pressed as by a spring 62 toward the gear 51; A spring 63 forces the detent in one direction to hold it in position so that the retaining bar 59 will engage its tooth at the proper time. An actuating lever is pivotally mounted on the plate 10, one arm 64 of the lever engaging an open ing in the bar 59, and the other arm 65 being connected with a connecting rod 66. This connecting rod may be actuated in any suitable manner to move the actuating lever to disengage the retaining bar from the detent.

A ratchet 67 is secured to the shaft 5 and a pawl 68 is pivotally mounted on the drum in position to engage the ratchet. This pawl may, if desired, normally engage the ratchet, but in order that it may be normally disengaged I provide a pawl actuating lever 70 secured to a rock shaft 71 mounted in the drum 6 and including a cam-shaped tail 7 2 also secured to said shaft and arranged for engagement by an actuating lever 73 pivotally mounted on the frame and connected as by a rod 7- with a bell crank lever 75 suitably mounted on the frame of the vehicle, or otherwise, to perform its function.

The engine shaft 76 is separate from the starter shaft 5 but is connected therewith and disconnected therefrom as by means of a clutch consisting of the driving clutch member 77 and the driven clutch member 78 engaged in any suitable manner as by means of engaging lugs 79. This clutch may be of any suitable construction and the clutch parts may be operated as by means of a clutch actuating lever 80 that is pivotally mounted on a support 81 mounted on a block 82, (shown in dotted outline in Fig. 4), secured to the starter shaft 5. The support 81 is held against movement longitudinally of the shaft as by means of screws 83 projecting into an annular groove in the block. A pin 84, secured to any suitable part, is employed to hold the support 81 against rotation. The clutch may be operated as by means of a bell crank lever 85 suitably mounted on the frame of the machine and connected with an operating rod 86 suitably mounted and operated as by means of a handle 87, all the'parts being supported ira manner to enable them to perform their functions. This rod 86 is connected with the bell crank lever 75 for operating the pawl and with a bell crank lever 88 to which the rod 66 is secured for operating the actuating lever arms 64: and 65. It will be noted that the illustration in Fig. 4 relating to this rod and the bell crank levers is diagrammatic, and the several bell crank levers are therefore not in their true relative positions. It will be further noted that the rod 86 has a limited longitudinal movement before engaging the bell crank lever 88 to operate the detent to start the device.

In the operation of the device, the parts being in the positions shown in the drawings, and the main spring 7 being under tension and the clutch members 77 and 78 being disengaged, the handle 87 is moved to the position shown in dotted line in Fig. 4. This will cause the levers and 75 to be moved, the former to throw the clutch members into engagement, and the latter to permit the pawl 68 to engage the ratchet 67. After the parts have been thus engaged the lever 88 is moved, drawing upon the rod 66 moving the actuating lever to disengage the bar 59 from the detent 57. The force of the main spring 7, acting through the several gears, will rotate the gear 51 in the direction indicated by the full line arrow in Fig. 2. The movable frame 61 will be swung on its pivot to permit free disengagement of the detent from the gear. The parts now acting under the force of the main spring rotate the drum gear 12, the gear and pinion 13 and 14, the gear and pinion 15 and 16, and the setting gear 18 that meshes with the pinion 16. This rotation of the drum through connection of the pawl 68 with the ratchet 67 rotates the starter shaft and the engine shaft in a proper direction to crank the engine. The stud 20 is carried on the gear 18 in the direction indicated by the full line arrow in Fig.2, and upon completing its movement in this direction it engages the curved end of the retarding lever 22, moving it on its pivot, but movement of this lever is, however, strongly resisted by the spring 24 of the clutch actuating rod 23, this resistance be ing sufficient to greatly reduce the rate of movement of the stud 20 and hence of the setting train, the stud 20 passing beyond the lever. is moved the spring 24 is placed under tension and the clutch actuating rod holding bar 44 engages the recess 43, thus holding the bar in this position and with the spring 24 under tension. This movement of the clutch actuating rod 23 has caused the flange 25 to engage with the shoulder 42 on the holding pin 40, moving it from engagement with the shifting bar 28 and thus allowing the clutch members 37 and 56 to be engaged under the force of the spring 38 through the medium of the clutch lever 35. This engagement of the clutch members connects the winding train with the clutch member 37 which at this time has been set in motion by the engine which has started and by this time is operating regularly, and this force thus serves to stop the rotation of the setting gear 18 and the parts connected therewith at the time of throwing the clutch parts into engagement. The clutch member 37 being now rotated carries with it the As the clutch actuating rod 23- pinion 50, the gear 51, the pinion 53, the gear 54 and the pinion 55, the latter meshing with the drum gear 12, the directions of rotation being indicated by the dotted line arrows in Fig. 2, and the drum gear 12 being thus rotated in the opposite direction from that in the starting of the mechanism, and the spring 7 in the drum 6 is therefore caused to be wound. In this operation the stopping stud 49; carried by the setting gear 18 is caused to travel in the opposite direction from that during the starting operation, and as the spring becomes fully wound this stud engages the finger 48 of the disengaging lever 47, moving the clutch actuating rod holding bar from engagement with the clutch actuating rod 23. The latter now acting under force of the spring 24 moves in the opposite direction from that hereinbefore described, and the force stored in the spring 24 is sufiicient to cause the pin 27 to travel up thecam 26 thereby releasing the clutch parts against the tension of the spring 38, when the parts are in readiness for another operation. .A lug 89 on the pawl 68 is arranged to engage a recess 90 in the pawl actuating lever 70 to vhold the pawl normally disengaged from the ratchet, the pull of the spring 91 effecting the engagement of the lug and recess, and their release being effected by centrifugal force.

It will be noted-from the construction that the rotationof the drum under the force of its main spring is stopped by resilient means, and this without shock, and sufficient force is thus obtained to effect the release of the clutch parts against the operation of their holding'spring. At the same time means are provided whereby, should the impetus of the rotating parts sometimes be suchas to become dangerous, no breaking of parts can occur, for the reason that the lever 22 is so constructed that the'stud 20 may pass it before the rotation of the parts is stopped, if such shall be required. although ordinarily the stud 20 will probably remain in contact with the lever 22 when the parts come to a standstill. In like manner the stopping stud 49, should the impetus of the parts eX- N ceed a predetermined rate, may pass the finger 48 in the movement of the stopping stud in a direction to disengage the holding bar 44 from the clutch actuating rod 23, the disengaging lever being so mounted that after the disengagement of the holding bar from the clutch actuating rod it may swing still farther to allow the stud to pass its end. While I have shown and described herein a preferred form of mechanism embodying my invention, this may be changed more or less without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention.

Forthe purpose of initially winding the starter upon setting it up, or at such other 1 time as may be required, a pin.92 is fixed in the clutch part 56 and arranged to engage a recess 98 in the clutch part 37. A handle commonly used for cranking automobiles may be placed upon the projecting end of the shaft 5 and engaging the pin 94:. This operation will press the pin 92 to engage the recess 93, and the crank may thus be used to wind the spring through the medium of the winding mechanism.

After the engine is started and the spring is wound it will, of course, be understood that the lever 87 is released and the clutch parts 7 7 and 79 disengaged.

The carrier 61 provides a means for preventing any chance for the detent to bridge a gear, that is strike the end of a tooth, as in such case the carrier will swing away from the gear and again swing into contact when the tooth comes into position to engage between the two gear teeth.

I claim 1. A spring operated drum, winding mechanism to tension said spring, a shaft, means for rotatably connecting the drum and the shaft, a clutch to connect said shaft and winding mechanism, means for operating the clutch and including, a clutch actuating rod, a tensioning device for said rod, a member connected to operate said rod to place said device under tension during the unwinding operation of the drum and to release the rod for engagement of the clutch members, and a member connected to be moved by said drum and positioned to engage said rod operating member to actuate it and thereby to move said rod operating member from its path.

2. A shaft, a spring operated drum loosely mounted on the shaft, means for connecting the drum to rotate the shaft, winding mechanism for tensioning said spring, a clutch to connect the winding mechanism and shaft, a clutch actuating rod, a spring to move said rod in one direction to release the clutch members, a lever connected to operate said clutch and place said spring under tension during the unwinding operation of the drum, and a member operated by the winding mechanism and positioned to engage said lever to retard the movement of the drum and thereby to move said lever from its path.

3. A shaft, a spring operated drum rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for connecting the shaft to be rotated by said drum, winding mechanism for tensioning said spring, a clutch to connect the winding mechanism and shaft, a clutch actuating rod, a spring to actuate the rod in one direction, a lever pivotally mounted to operate said rod, a member for holding the rod during the unwinding operation of the drum with the spring under tension, means for releasing said rod holding member, and a member moved by the winding mechanism and positioned to engage said lever to operate the clutch actuating rod to place its spring under tension and likewise to remove the lever from its path.

4. A shaft, a spring operated drum, means for connecting the drum to operate the shaft, winding mechanism for said spring, a clutch to connect the winding mechanism and shaft, a clutch actuating rod, a spring to force said rod in one direction, a lever pivotally mounted to actuate the red to automatically tension said spring during the unwinding operation of the drum, said lever being shaped and positioned in the path of a movable member, but adapted to be moved out of said path by the movement of said member, and the movable member mounted to be actuated by the winding mechanism.

5. A shaft, a spring actuated drum, means, for connecting the drum to operate the shaft, winding mechanism to tension said spring, clutch mechanism to engage the winding mechanism and shaft, a clutch. actuating rod, a spring for forcing said rod in one direction, a member for holding said rod against the tension of the spring, means carried by the winding mechanism to release said rod holding member, a lever for operating the clutch actuating rod in opposition to its spring during the unwinding operation of the drum, and a member carried by the winding mechanism to engage said lever to move it against the tension of the clutch actuating rod spring and likewise to move the lever from its path.

6. A shaft, a drum rotatably mounted on the shaft, means for connecting the drum to rotate the shaft, winding mechanism to tension said spring, a clutch connecting the winding mechanism and shaft, a clutch actuating rod, a spring to force said rod in one direction, a lever mounted to move the rod in opposition to said spring, a member carried by one of the movable parts of the winding mechanism to ope-rate said lever, a member to hold said clutch actuating rod against the tension of the spring, a disengaging lever connected with said clutch. actuating rod holding member and flexible in one direction from its position of rest, and a member carried by the winding mechanism to operate said disengaging lever.

7. A starting mechanism including a shaft, a spring actuated drum mounted thereon, means to connect the drum to rotate the shaft, winding mechanism for said spring, a detent having a releasing tooth and a holding tooth, said detent being mounted upon a movable frame to engage its holding tooth with teeth of a gear of said winding mechanism to hold it against movement, and means for releasing said detent.

8. A starting mechanism including a shaft, a spring actuated drum rotatably mounted thereon, means connecting the drum to operate the shaft, winding mechanism for said spring, a detent having a holding tooth engagingthe teeth of a gear of the winding mechanism to hold it against movement under tension of the spring, said detent also having a releasing tooth, a carrier pivotally mounted and pivotally supporting said detent, and means for releasing the releasing tooth of said detent.

9. A starting mechanism including a shaft, a spring actuated drum. rotatably mounted on the shaft, means connecting the drum to operate the shaft, winding mechanism for said spring, a carrier pivotally mounted relatively to one of the gears of the winding mechanism, a detent pivotally mounted on said carrier for disengaging movement from said gear and having a holdling tooth to engage the teeth of said gear, and means for releasing the detent.

10. In a starting mechanism including a spring actuated drum, a main shaft, connections with the drum to operate the shaft, a winding train, a clutch connecting the winding train and shaft, a clutch actuating rod, a spring to actuate the rod to disengage the clutch members, a lever to actuate said rod in opposition to its spring during the unwinding operation of the drum, and a member actuated by the drum in the unwinding of its spring to engage said lever to tension the spring on the clutch actuating rod and likewise to move said lever from its path.

11. A shaft, a spring actuated drum rotatably mounted on the shaft, means connecting the drum to rotate the shaft,'winding mechanism connected with the drum to be operated in the unwinding of its spring, a clutch actuating rod, a spring to force said rod in one direction, a lever mounted to operate said rod, a member carried by the winding train to operate said lever against the tension of the spring on the actuating rod and likewise to move said lever from its path, a connection between said winding mechanism and shaft to operate said winding mechanism to wind the spring of the drum, and said clutch actuating rod being arranged to operate said connection. 1 12. A shaft, a spring actuated drum rotatably mounted on the shaft, .means connecting the drum to operate the shaft, a winding mechanism connected with said drum, a clutch connecting the winding mechanism and shaft, a carrier, a springto engage the clutch parts, a clutch actuating rod, a spring to actuate said rod in one direction to disengage the clutch parts, a lever to actuate said rod against the tension of the spring during the unwinding opera tion of the drum, and a stud mounted on said carrier to engage said lever and positioned to press said lever out of its path and to be moved in the opposite direction in the winding operation.

13. A shaft, a spring operated drum loosely mounted on the shaft, means for connecting the drum to rotate the shaft, winding mechanism for tensioning said spring, a clutch to connect the winding mechanism and shaft, a clutch actuating rod, a spring to move said rod in one direction to release the clutch members, and a connection between the winding mechanism and said clutch actuating rod to actuate the latter to engage the clutch members before the drum ceases its unwinding movement.

14. In a starting mechanism including a shaft, a spring rotated drum, means to connect the drum to rotate the shaft, a winding train and a clutch to connect the winding train and shaft, a clutch actuating rod, a spring for forcing said rod in one direction, means for holding said rod against the tension of the spring during the unwinding operation of the drum, and a member carried by the winding train and positioned to engage an operating element to release said holding means but to move past and be disengaged from said operating element in excessive movement of the winding train.

, FREDERIC S. BACON. Witnesses:

ARTHUR B. JENKINS, EVA L. STOUGHTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

